Yunho glances over at Mingi as soon as Wooyoung and King Hongjoong leave the kitchen area, knowing the atmosphere surrounding them right now is thicker than the butter he just had to cut through. Mingi catches his gaze and Yunho immediately looks down, trying to focus on what he's doing.

"Is everything okay...?" Mingi's soft voice echoes through the small kitchen as he places a warm hand over top of Yunho's, willing him to look up again.

Yunho does exactly as Mingi predicts and looks at him with worried eyes. He bites his lip in an attempt to contain his threatening tears, but he can't help the liquid welling up in his eyes as he looks at the man he's been smitten with for so long.

A single tear trails down Yunho's cheek before he lets out a hic, "N-Nothing is okay," he says, his head falling down to stare at their touching hands.

The tear falls onto the top of Mingi's hand and Mingi tries to shush Yunho, hoping to calm him down. He looks around and sees no one, so he allows himself to bring Yunho into an embrace, "Talk to me, Yun."

Yunho hardly has time to process the nickname before his mouth spills open with words, "I-I'm just so confused and... Ashamed... I-I'm married you know," Yunho says, but it's almost as if he's asking himself.

Mingi is shocked, but nods, letting Yunho release all of his tensions and emotions as he strokes up and down his back, listening to every word Yunho says. He keeps his face neutral as to not worry the boy pouring his heart out to him.

"I've always had feelings for you, Mingi... B-But, I'm married now... God, why do I still have them," Yunho whines into Mingi's shoulder, going through an inner-turmoil with himself, "I-I shouldn't still have these feelings for you anymore, but here I am... In your arms," Yunho tries to stifle a laugh.

Mingi smiles at the ending part of Yunho's words, but he was overwhelmed by the load Yunho just dropped upon him. He didn't know of Yunho's marriage since he's not muchly on the 'in' of castle drama and such. He's unaware of who outside the castle is married and to whom, of course.

Mingi's never been one to act on his feelings as he had with Yunho, but he thought if he didn't do it when he had the chance, that the chance would go past him as it had for so many years and he would have regretted it. Holding Yunho in his arms as he is right now, and even through what he revealed, he doesn't regret it. That may make him a bad person, in a sense, but when he looks at Yunho...

There's not a single regret he has.

"Do you regret kissing me?" Mingi asks bluntly, pulling away from their embrace so he's able to look into Yunho's beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

Yunho stays quiet, unsure of if words could even leave his mouth at this moment. He doesn't know his response, either. Does he regret it? Yunho's eyebrows knit together in deep thought. His eyes begin to drift away, but are soon brought back with Mingi's next question.

"How did the kiss make you feel?" Mingi whispers.

Yunho's heart rate picks up with that one, remembering how Wooyoung had asked him the same exact question the previous night. Yunho was afraid to answer Wooyoung, but with him standing here staring into Mingi's eyes, he knew his answer.

"Alive."

~

Later that evening, Yeosang comes in to get Wooyoung ready for bed.

"Next week will be okay, right, Yeo...?" Wooyoung asks for what seems like the millionth time.

Yeosang chuckles, brushing out Wooyoung's hair after he picks out his nightgown, "Yes, Prince Wooyoung. Everything will be okay," he hums, "Are you worried about... San?" Yeosang asks quietly, knowing that the night guard is standing outside.

Wooyoung nods sadly, looking up at Yeosang through the mirror, "I didn't intend to fall head over heels for him," Wooyoung sighs, getting up as soon as Yeosang puts the brush down, "I really didn't, Yeo... And I don't think I realized just how much I had until you told me about next week -- which father clarified for me earlier this afternoon. The thought of having to let him go isn't doing my heart any good," He chuckles, making his way over to his bed to lay down, "I honestly feel like I won't be able to do it."

Yeosang sits down on the edge of Wooyoung's bed, making sure he's tucked in -- even if he's much too old to be doing so, Yeosang is Wooyoung's caretaker and he will always take the best care of him that he can.

"I feel... Very safe with him, in every meaning of the word," Wooyoung explains, turning on his side so he can look over at Yeosang, "Do you know what I mean?"

Yeosang gives him a hopeful smile, shaking his head, "I'm afraid not, my prince. Please explain it to me, this feeling you're experiencing," he says, hoping that it'll help Wooyoung if he can finally relay his feelings to someone who will listen to him without interruption. Yeosang knows that Wooyoung can't speak about San to anyone other than him -- well, he believes that Yunho knows, but he can't be sure.

"I feel as if a fire has been set ablaze inside of me and refuses to be put out. Every time I see or think about him, the flames burn brighter and roars louder. That's the best way I can think of to describe the feeling that San gives me," Wooyoung says softly, his eyes sparkling over talking about San.

Yeosang thinks about it for a minute, wondering if Wooyoung will say anything else like he often does. A fire? Yeosang wonders how a fire within oneself would even feel. He shivers at the thought, feeling like it couldn't possibly be as pleasant as Prince Wooyoung says it is.

"We're going out next week, you know..." Wooyoung smiles mischievously.

Yeosang cocks one eyebrow, "And where will you be going, young man?"

"I'm not quite sure, actually, but he told me to meet him outside by the hidden entrance," Wooyoung explains, "I can't wait to spend time with him somewhere else. It's been so long," Wooyoung stares up at his ceiling, remembering the night they spent together in San's room at the Hide.

"Are you sure about this?" Yeosang asks, clearly worried about Wooyoung sneaking out of the castle with the heightened security now in place.

"I've never been more sure, Yeosang. I'd give just about anything to spend more time with him," Wooyoung lets out a sigh, "He makes me delirious. All of my worries are suddenly gone when I'm with him. Everything that has to do with my mother and father, finding a suitor, and my responsibilities as Prince... He allows me to finally be at peace."

Yeosang looks down at his feet, knowing that this most likely won't end well between San and Wooyoung, but he couldn't bear to break Wooyoung's heart right now... Not when the inevitable is slowly creeping up on them.

Wooyoung yawns and rolls over onto his other side, "Perhaps if I sleep now, my mind will grant me the nicety of dreaming of him tonight," he says, his voice groggy with unrest.

Yeosang nods, standing up and flattening back out the part of the duvet he was sitting on, "Goodnight, Wooyoung," he says, smiling at his outline under the covers, "You'll be a wonderful king one day," he whispers before exiting Wooyoung's bedroom and bidding goodbye to the night guard.

That night, Wooyoung does indeed dream about the one and only Choi San.

"Where are you going, my dear?"

"To my favorite place! Come here, Sannie~" Wooyoung calls back, grabbing onto San's hand to lead him into a large field of greens, reds, and yellows.

"Woo, this is incredible... This field of flowers seems to go on forever, doesn't it?"

"Isn't it just the most exquisite thing you've ever seen?" Wooyoung asks, spinning around like a child in the small clearing. He's stopped by San's arms wrapping around his waist, feeling his chin atop his shoulder.

"Ah, close, but not quite." San whispers before he gives his neck a tender kiss, letting his lips linger there for a moment.

Wooyoung turns around and grabs ahold of both San's hands, letting himself fall back into the bed of flowers behind him. They land safely and the bright sun is beaming down on the two of them, "What is, then?" Wooyoung asks, his smile shining even more radiant with the sunkissed look his face exudes.

San smirks, "I think you know the answer to that, my beloved Wooyoung..."

Just as San is about to lean in to let his lips meet Wooyoung's, a loud bang echoes through the area, causing all of the birds to fly out of the surrounding trees. The ground beneath them begins to rumble and Wooyoung's eyes widen in fear, grabbing onto San for support.

"San, what's going on?"

"I don't-"

A whirlwind of horses storm past the couple, threatening to stampede over them with every step. The field of flowers turns into a flattened land in the span of mere minutes and when Wooyoung looks back to San for comfort, he's disappeared.

Wooyoung stands up in quick motion, calling out for his love with all his chest can stammer.

Wooyoung turns around to where the horses were heading and his eyes widen further upon seeing the heinous scenes of war befalling the once beautiful area.

Destruction...

Wooyoung sprints through what's left of the field, the wind whipping his hair back as he runs. He needs to find San.

Where are you, San...?

Wooyoung frantically runs into the middle of the battle, hearing the sounds of metal clanging together as many of the men fight with swords on horseback.

Blood.

It's everywhere.

Wooyoung trips over one of the fallen bodies, covering his once white clothing in crimson.

"San?" Wooyoung calls out, getting up haphazardly and he continues running through the warzone he's found himself in.

Up ahead, Wooyoung sees a wooden platform and he swears he saw San behind one of the men. Wooyoung begins running faster and faster, finally reaching the wooden platform to a horror he never would've expected to see.

San was standing on the platform being manhandled by two guards as a rope was tied around his neck. Wooyoung's face twisted into a horrific image, feeling like his knees are growing weak at seeing his love like this. Behind San's struggling body, Wooyoung sees his mother, Siyeon, smiling widely and laughing as soon as she sees Wooyoung amongst all the slaughter.

"SAN!" Wooyoung cries out in a loud whine.

San looks up at Wooyoung when he hears his voice through the clouds that plagued his mind and as soon as their eyes meet, the guards let go, letting San fall.

Wooyoung wakes up quickly, panting hard as he looks around his room with wide eyes -- seemingly looking for any sign of San, and finding none. He feels tears streaming down his face and he tries to take a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down.

It was only a dream...

Everything is fine, Wooyoung reassures himself.

For now.

End of Chapter Nine